Maya Lin has said, “I try to give people a different way of looking at their surroundings.” As you visit and explore a Confluence Project site, share your observations or new found discoveries in this open community of ideas.

The Columbia River in 1920 was free of the hydroelectric dams that would turn it into a series of lakes in the coming decades. One adventurer/journalist traveled the distance of the mighty river. In Part 4 of this series, historian Mary Rose takes us down the final stretch of this epic journey. more >

Taking a brief detour from the journey of Lewis Freeman, this week looks more deeply at Kettle Falls. Like Celilo Falls, Kettle Falls is another example of the mighty Columbia being ‘tamed’ by hydroelectric infrastructure, and a story of dramatic loss. more >

Through the centuries, Native American women of the Pacific Northwest have been known as the “gatherers” of their tribes. Their role included a number of activities tied to the “seasonal rounds”–Long journeys that took families to different areas of the Northwest to gather food and other materials. more >

“River People” generally refers to indigenous tribes and bands that live along the Columbia River, and sometimes those specifically who fished at Celilo Falls or lived below the falls along the river. But some see a broader definition of that term. “I think all of us are River People,” says Nez Perce elder Wilfred Scott. more >